Pin carriage return mechanism

ABSTRACT

A pin carriage return mechanism is disclosed in which the pin carriage is returned from an advanced position to its initial home position by a flexible cord. The latter is attached at one end of the pin carriage and is anchored at its opposite end. An intermediate part of the cord is looped over a roller, which is orbited about a fixed center during each cycle of the machine to return the cord and pin carriage.

D United States Patent m1 3,581,932

[72] Inventors John G. Clary [56] References Cited Fade; UNlTED STATESPATENTS Milton V. Scozzafava, San Gabriel. Calif. 3 001 702 9/1961Dustin V63 2; if; N9 1;; 1970 3,057,549 lO/l962 Wagemann.... 235/00pgmmed 3,098.608 7/1963 Donbrowski .r zss/oorx 1 Assignee AddmasterCorporation 3,249,298 5/1966 Munk et 235/60TK Sm GabrkLCam. 3,384.30-5/1968 Riley 235/604] Primary Examiner-Stephen J. Tomsky Attorney-FredN. Schwend [54] 3 MECHANISM ABSTRACT: A pin carriage return mechanism isdisclosed in am n mg which the pin carriage is returned from an advancedposition [52] (1.5. CI 235/60TK, to its initial home position by aflexible cord. The latter is at- 235/60.42 tached at one end of the pincarriage and is anchored at its op- [51] Int. Cl G06c 23/04 posite end.An intermediate part of the cord is looped over a [50] Field of Search235/6041, roller, which is orbited about a fixed center during eachcycle of the machine to return the cord and pin carriage.

PIN CARRIAGE RETURN MECHANISM This invention relates to businessmachines, such as adding and calculating machines, and has particularreference to machines of the IO-key type.

Machines of the above type utilize stop pin carriages having coordinatecolumns and rows of stop pins therein settable to actuator-arrestingpositions. Upon depression of a numeral key, a pin in a row of the pincarriage corresponding in value to the value of the depressed key is setand the carriage is yieldably advanced one columnar distance or onedenominational order. After the whole amount is set up in the stop pins,the machine is cycled, causing the actuators to be advanced untildifferentially arrested by set ones of the stop pins. The pin carriage.is then returned tov its initial home position preparatory to setting upa new account.

Due. to the relatively large mass of the pin carriage and the distanceit must traverse in returning to its home position, and further, due tothe short time in which it must bereturned, the

pin carriage return or restore operation tends to create con siderablenoise and jarring action. An additional factor which aggravates this.condition is that the pin carriage may be advanced toany of itsdifferent-columnar positions in setting up of amounts of-differentcapacities and thus the carriage return mechanism must'pick up thecarriage in anyof such positions.

It therefore becomes the principle object'of the present invention toprovide a novel pin carriage return mechanism which is relatively smoothand quiet in operation.

Another object is to provide a pin carriage return mechanism whichis-simple and economical to manufacture.

Another 'object. is to provide a pin carriage returnv mechanism whichreduces the amount of shock and jarring normally found in such amechanism.

A further object is to provide a pin carriage return mechanism whichrequires a minimum amountof space in the machine.

The invention incorporates a cord attached at one end to thepin carriageand activated by-a drive element movablein an orbit about a fixed centerto impart a harmonically accelerated motion to the cord. Becausethe cordhas an ap preciable length'andis guided in different directions bystationary guide elements alight snubbing action occurs causing it topick up the pin carriagein a relatively smooth and quiet manner, ratherthan abruptly, regardless of the columnar position the pin carriagehappens'to be in. This is enhanced by using a cord. of plastic orsimilar flexible material. Also, because of theharmonically acceleratedmotion imparted to the cord by the orbiting drive element, thecarriageis returned rapidly and smoothly to its home position. Themanner in which the aboveandother objects of the invention areaccomplished will be readily I understood on reference to the followingspecification when read in conjunction with-the accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIG. I is a plan view, partly broken away, illustrating the key boardand. part of the pin carriage" of an adding-listing" machine andembodyinga preferred form of the-invention.

FIG. is a longitudinal sectional view-through a portion of the machine.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view illustrating the-orbitingcorddrive Referringto the drawings, the machinein which the embodiment of the invention isdisclosed is the commerciallyavailable Addmaster adding machine which isdisclosed basically in the R; E. Busch'U.S. Pat. No. 3,113,719, issuedon Dec. 10, 1963, the H. L. Clary et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,132,582, issuedon May 12, 1964, and the .l. G. Clary U.S. Pat. application, Ser. No.723,777, filed Apr. 2, 1968, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,481,536.

The machine is motor driven through a cyclically operable clutch 11,FIG. 7, and is controlled by a key board, including amount keys,generally indicated at 12, an add-subtotal bar 13, and a subtract-totalbar 14. I

An arcuate stop pin carriage carrying a plurality of settable stop pinsl6 is guided for movement transversely of the machine by a guide rod 17adjacent to the lower end thereof and by a channel-shaped guide member18 adjacent its upper end. An arm 20, extending upwardly from the pincarriage frame, is guided along a slot in the member 18 and terminatesin knob 21 which extends through a slot 22 in a machine cover 23,permitting the pin carriage to be manually returned to the right to itsillustrated home position.

The stop pins 16 are arranged in a plurality of horizontally extendingrowsand a plurality of vertically extending columns, there being 10 suchpins in each column ranging in value from zero to nine.

Each of the amount keys 12 is slideably supported for vertical movementand is connected to a respective flexible cable 24 guided for endwisemovement in a guide block 25 suitably secured below the key board. Allof the cables 24 are located in a vertical plane which lies coincidentwith the left-hand column of stop pins 16 when the pin carriage is inits righthand or home position shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. When an amountkey is depressed its cable moves the aligned stop pin 16 from itsillustrated unset position to a set position.

The upper row of pins 16a, when set, enable incremental or columnarescapement of the pin carriage to the left as an incidentto depressionof each of the amount keys, and for this purpose'the leftmost upper pin16a normally rests against a fixed stop26. When any amount key isdepressed, it operates through its respective cable 24 to set an alignedstop pin 16 and at the same time it activates a universal plate 27 whichcooperates with a bail 28 to set the aligned escapement pin 16a.

When the leftmost escapement pin .16a is set, a tension spring 30extending between the pin carriage and a machine side frame plate 31advances the pin carriage leftward to align the leftmost column of stoppins 16 with a right-hand printing sector 32. As other amount keys aredepressed, the pin carriage is further advanced to the left to alignaddition columns of stop pins with other denominationally arrangedsectors 32.

The sectors 32 are independently pivoted on a support shaft 33. Eachsector has a shoulder 34 adapted to limit against a set one of the pins16 during clockwise rocking of the sectors as will be describedpresently..Each sector also carries a font of type characters 35ranging'in value from zero to nine. Such type characters coact withprinting hammers 36 to record amounts on a paper strip 37 which is fedbetween the sectors and the hammers. 4

Gear teeth 38 on the sectors are arranged to mesh with and drive asuitable accumulator partly indicated at 40.

Upon entry of an amount in the pins 16 of the pin carriage, the machineis operated to add or subtract such amount to or from the accumulator 40by depressing either the add-subtotal bar 13 or the subtract-total bar14. Such bars when depressed release a clutch control member partlyindicated at 41, FIG. 7,

from engagement 'with a clutch dog 42, forming part of the cyclic clutch11. Accordingly, the clutch dog, which is carried by'a clutch disc 43attached to a camshaft 44, clutches a motor-driven ratchet wheel 45 torotate the shaft one complete revolution.

The shaft 44 carries a cam 46, FIG. 2, which cooperates with a combinedcam follower and gear sector 47 fulcrummed at 48 to oscillate a gearsector 50 mounted on shaft 33. The sector and a similar member (notshown) on the opposite side of the machine support a bail rod 5l whichextends through openings52 in the various sectors 32 and engages springtails 53 formed integrally with the sectors. Thus, during each cycle ofthe machine, the sectors are advanced clockwise until their shoulders 34limit against set ones of the stop pins 16 thus presenting appropriatetype characters 35 to be imprinted against the paper strip 37 by thehammers 36. For this purpose, a suitable printing ribbon 39 is suitablysupported below the paper strip.

After the sectors 32 have been differentially advanced, and before thehammers 36 are operated to print an amount, cam formations 54 on thesector 50 and on its counterpart on the opposite side of the machine camaligner bar 55 upwardly along guide slots 56 in machine side supportplates, i.e. 57, to engage between detent teeth 58 formed in the sectorsso as to accurately align the type characters relative to the hammers.

According to the present invention, the pin carriage is returned to itsillustrated home position by a flexible cord 60, FIGS. 3, 4 andpreferably formed of woven plastic, such as is available under thetrademark Nylon, or similar relatively flexible material. Such cord isattached at 61 to a part of the pin carriage 15 and is guided in arelatively small radius through a plastic guide grommet 62 secured to abottom frame plate 63 of the machine. The cord is guided across themachine, through a second guide grommet 64 and into a loop 74 extendingaround an eccentrically mounted roller 65 from which it is returnedthrough the grommet 64 and is anchored by a suitable clamp 66 to thebottom plate 63.

The roller 65 is rotatably mounted on a stud 66 formed integral with adisc 67. A second disc 68 is integrally secured to the stud 66 and isspaced from the disc 67 a distance substantially equal to thecross-sectional diameter of the cord which, in this case, is on theorder of 0.050 inch. The disc 67 is freely rotatable on the left-handend (FIG. 3) of the shaft 44 and a pair of ledges 70 extend radiallyalong the right-hand face of the disc. Such ledges are located in thepath ofa projection 71 formed integral with a member 72 which issuitably secured to the shaft 44.

Normally, when the pin carriage is in its illustrated home position, theexcess portion of the cord is contained in a loop 74 which is held bylight frictional engagement between the two discs 67 and 68, therebypreventing it from hanging loosely in other parts of the machine whereit could possibly catch on different operating parts. However, as thepin carriage is stepped to the left across the machine in enteringamounts therein, the loop closes up and, if an amount equal to the fullcapacity of the pib carriage is entered, the loop closes around theroller 65 as indicated by the dot-dash lines 74a. When the machine is atits full cycle, or rest position, as shown, the projection 71 is locatedapproximately 180 from the adjacent ledge 70.

Now, during the early part of a machine cycle, while the printingsectors 32 are being differentially advanced in a clockwise direction bythe bail 51, shaft 44 carries the member 72 and its projection 71clockwise as seen in FIG. 4. At approximately midcycle, and after theprinting operation has occurred, the projection 71 engages the adjacentledge 70 to rotate the discs 67 and 68 so as to orbit the roller 65. Theroller 65 thus enlarges the loop 74, drawing the pin carriage rightwardtoward and slightly past its home position to an extreme right-handposition where it strikes a resilient bumper 69, FIG. 1. At this pointthe roller 65 reaches a position indicated by the dot-dash line 65a inwhich position it has moved past dead center relative to the directionof force exerted by it against the loop. Thus, as the pin carriagerebounds leftwardiy from its extreme right-hand position to its homeposition, the cord further advances the discs 67 and 68 and they assume,or tend to assume, their positions shown as FIGS. 3 and 4, particularlyby virtue of the weight of the stud 66 and roller 65.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a modified form of the invention in which adepressible repeat key 80 is provided which is effective upon depressionto cause repeated entries'of amounts initially set in the pin'carriage.Key 80 is guided by slots 81 and 82 formed in a key guide plate 83 andin the side frame plate 31, respectively, and is normally held in itsillustrated raised position by a tension spring 84. The stem of keycarries a stud 85 which normally lies in latching engagement with oneleg of a bail 86 pivotally supported at 87'. The bail 86 carries apulley 90 around which the aforementioned cord 60 is looped. The cord,in this case, extends from the aforementioned guide grommet 64, FIG. 5,and is anchored at 91 on the side frame 31. A light tension spring 88normally urges the bail 86 into its illustrated position where it restsagainst a frame stud 89.

When the repeat 80 key is not depressed, the portion of the cord shownin FIG. 9 remains immovable and the pin carriage is accordingly returnedto its home position during' the later half of the machine cycle, as wasdescribed heretofore. However, upon depression of the repeat key an ear92 on the stem thereof activates a lever partly shown at 93 which,through linkage (not shown), moves the clutch control member'4l to causeengagement of clutch II, and cycling of the machine. Also, at this time,the stud 85 passes from latching engagement with the bail 86 and sincethe spring 88 is weaker than spring 30, such spring will yield, enablingthe cord 60 to rock the bail 86 counterclockwise, thereby leaving thepin carriage in its advanced position, as long as the repeat key is helddepressed. During the later portion of each machine cycle the bail 86 isreturned counterclockwise by its spring 88 and if the repeat key 80 isreleased from depression the stud 85 will return to latching engagementwith the bail.

I claim:

I. In a cyclically operable calculating machine having a stop pincarriage, 1

spring means for advancing said carriage from a home position,

mechanism for returning said carriage to said home position from anyadvanced position comprising,

a cable,

means connecting said cable adjacent one end thereof to said pincarriage,

means including a drive member operatively connected to said cableadjacent the opposite end of said cable;

means supporting said drive member for orbiting movement about a center,

an actuating member moveable through a complete revolution during eachcycle of said machine, and means forming a lost-motion connectionbetween said actuating member and said drive member whereby saidactuating member is effective to drive said drive member through aportion of a revolution and said spring means is efi'ective to causesaid cable to drive said drive member through another portion of saidlast-mentioned revolution independently of said actuating member.

2. Mechanism according to claim 1 comprising means anchoring said cableadjacent said opposite end thereof, said drive member engaging anintermediate part of said cable.

3. Mechanism according to claim 2 wherein said supporting means form apair of facing surfaces extending normal to the axis of said drivemember,

said surfaces being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to thediameter of said cable whereby to retain any surplus length of cabletherebetween by friction.

4. Mechanism according to claim 2 comprising means for guiding saidcable to and from said drive member in a loop.

5. Mechanism according to claim 2 comprising means for guiding saidcable to and from said drive member in a loop,

said actuating member being effective to drive said drive member pastdead center relative to said loop, and

said spring means being effective to cause said cable to advance saiddrive member relative to said actuating member after said drivemembermoves past dead center.

6. Mechanism according to claim 2 comprising a depressible repeat key,and

means controlled by said key upon depression thereof for releasing saidanchoring means.

7. In a cyclically operable calculating machine having a stop pincarriage, v

spring means for advancing said carriage from a home position,

mechanisms for returning said carriage to said home position comprising,acable, I

means connecting said cable adjacent one end thereof to said pincarriage,

means for anchoring said cable adjacent the opposite end thereof,

a cable drive member,

means rotatably supporting said drive member for orbiting movement abouta center,

an actuating member moveable through a complete revolution duringeach'cycle of said machine,

means forming a lost-motion connection between said actuating member andsaid drive member whereby said actuating member is effective to drivesaid drive member through a portion of a revolution and said springmeans is effective to cause said cable to drive said drive memberthrough another portion of said last mentioned revolution,

means for guiding an intermediate portion of said cable in a loop to andfrom said drive member, and

means forming a pair of spaced guide surfaces between which said cableis moved,

said guide surfaces frictionally engaging said cable whereby to retainany surplus length of said cable therebetween.

8. in a cyclically operable calculating machine having a stop pincarriage,

first spring means for advancing said carriage from a home position,

mechanism for returning said carriage to said home position from anyadvanced position comprising,

a cable,

means connecting said cable adjacent one end thereof to said pincarriage,

a second spring means for anchoring said cable adjacent to the oppositeend thereof,

said first spring means being adapted to overcome said second springmeans,

a cable drive member engageable with said cable,

means supporting said drive member for orbiting movement about a center,

an actuating member moveable through a complete revolution during eachcycle of said machine,

means forming a lost motion connection between said actuating member andsaid drive member,

means normally blocking said second spring means from yielding,

a depressible repeat key,

and means controlled by said key upon depression thereof for releasingsaid blocking means,

said drive means being ineffective to cause said cable to return saidcarriage upon yielding of said second spring.

9. Mechanism according to claim 7 wherein said guide surfacesfrictionally engage at least a portion of said cable extending in saidloop.

10. Mechanism according to claim 2 wherein said supporting meanscomprises a pair of spaced rotatable cable guide members,

means for guiding said cable in a loop to and from said drive member,

said loop passing between said guide members,

and said guide members frictionally engaging said cable whereby toretain any surplus length of said cabletherebetween.

1. In a cyclically operable calculating machine having a stop pincarriage, spring means for advancing said carriage from a home position,mechanism for returning said carriage to said home position from anyadvanced position comprising, a cable, means connecting said cableadjacent one end thereof to said pin carriage, means including a drivemember operatively connected to said cable adjacent the opposite end ofsaid cable; means supporting said drive member for orbiting movementabout a center, an actuating member moveable through a completerevolution during each cycle of said machine, and means forming alost-motion connection between said actuating member and said drivemember whereby said actuating member is effective to drive said drivemember through a portion of a revolution and said spring means iseffectivE to cause said cable to drive said drive member through anotherportion of said last-mentioned revolution independently of saidactuating member.
 2. Mechanism according to claim 1 comprising meansanchoring said cable adjacent said opposite end thereof, said drivemember engaging an intermediate part of said cable.
 3. Mechanismaccording to claim 2 wherein said supporting means form a pair of facingsurfaces extending normal to the axis of said drive member, saidsurfaces being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to thediameter of said cable whereby to retain any surplus length of cabletherebetween by friction.
 4. Mechanism according to claim 2 comprisingmeans for guiding said cable to and from said drive member in a loop. 5.Mechanism according to claim 2 comprising means for guiding said cableto and from said drive member in a loop, said actuating member beingeffective to drive said drive member past dead center relative to saidloop, and said spring means being effective to cause said cable toadvance said drive member relative to said actuating member after saiddrive member moves past dead center.
 6. Mechanism according to claim 2comprising a depressible repeat key, and means controlled by said keyupon depression thereof for releasing said anchoring means.
 7. In acyclically operable calculating machine having a stop pin carriage,spring means for advancing said carriage from a home position,mechanisms for returning said carriage to said home position comprising,a cable, means connecting said cable adjacent one end thereof to saidpin carriage, means for anchoring said cable adjacent the opposite endthereof, a cable drive member, means rotatably supporting said drivemember for orbiting movement about a center, an actuating membermoveable through a complete revolution during each cycle of saidmachine, means forming a lost-motion connection between said actuatingmember and said drive member whereby said actuating member is effectiveto drive said drive member through a portion of a revolution and saidspring means is effective to cause said cable to drive said drive memberthrough another portion of said last mentioned revolution, means forguiding an intermediate portion of said cable in a loop to and from saiddrive member, and means forming a pair of spaced guide surfaces betweenwhich said cable is moved, said guide surfaces frictionally engagingsaid cable whereby to retain any surplus length of said cabletherebetween.
 8. In a cyclically operable calculating machine having astop pin carriage, first spring means for advancing said carriage from ahome position, mechanism for returning said carriage to said homeposition from any advanced position comprising, a cable, meansconnecting said cable adjacent one end thereof to said pin carriage, asecond spring means for anchoring said cable adjacent to the oppositeend thereof, said first spring means being adapted to overcome saidsecond spring means, a cable drive member engageable with said cable,means supporting said drive member for orbiting movement about a center,an actuating member moveable through a complete revolution during eachcycle of said machine, means forming a lost motion connection betweensaid actuating member and said drive member, means normally blockingsaid second spring means from yielding, a depressible repeat key, andmeans controlled by said key upon depression thereof for releasing saidblocking means, said drive means being ineffective to cause said cableto return said carriage upon yielding of said second spring. 9.Mechanism according to claim 7 wherein said guide surfaces frictionallyengage at least a portion of said cable extending in said loop. 10.Mechanism according to claim 2 wherein said supporting means comprises apair of spaced rotatable cable guide members, means for guiding saidcable in a loop to and from said drive member, said loop passing betweensaid guide members, and said guide members frictionally engaging saidcable whereby to retain any surplus length of said cable therebetween.